Note: As must be said before each and every single one of these pages, I don't own InuYasha, and neither does Needles. We do however own the villain I have created for this story, so don't take him without asking first!!! I'm still not completely sure of where I want this story to go, and if needles knows she hasn't told me. We have a basic idea, but we don't know how long we want this story to last or how the small details will work out, but it will keep coming. And for anyone questioning the Tan Paladin comment I put in the bio, it's how I describe Sora from Kingdom Hearts. It's actually ripped off of someone I know in the KH section, but she said I could use it. Anyway, I've rambled for long enough, let's get to this story.

I hadn't moved from the spot at which I had fallen to my knees for what seemed an eternity. I kept playing the fight in my head over and over, trying to find where I could have fixed things. I could have made her listen to me...no then she would have just been madder. Really the only thing I could have done was not bring up Kikyo... and that's when it hit me. I had never thought I was doing anything to hurt Kagome by casually mentioning her from time to time. But this proved it. Every time I use her name Kagome died a little inside. Why had I been so blind?

I finally rose to my feet and started to head back to camp when I stopped. I wanted so bad to tell Kagome I was sorry. What was stopping me? She may not have wanted to see me, but I had to at least try. She deserved that much.

I turned back to the spot where we had had the fight in the meadow, and sniffed out her smell. It was so easy to distinguish, finding it had become second nature to me now. I had had to find it so many times to save her for one, and two I had always liked her smell. She had one of the best scents of any human I had ever met. I finally found it, and headed off in the direction it was leading to.

The woods seemed to grow thicker as I went deeper into the forest. As usual Kagome had taken the worst possible path, and most likely the most dangerous one. A small smile crossed my lips. She had a knack for getting into trouble, and for some reason I had always liked it. Probably because it gave me a chance to play the role of the hero instead of the freak. As I walked deeper into the woods, a memory of the past came to me...

I had finally gotten free of that blasted tree's spell. I didn't know how long it had been that I was out, but from the looks of things it had been a good deal of time. Everything was longer, trees, bushes, grass; everything had seemed to double in size since last I remembered it. I looked at the spot where she had betrayed me, where Kikyo had shot me with the arrow that had pinned me to this accursed tree. She was still there! How had everything grown, but Kikyo seemed to have become even younger, and she was dressed in the most peculiar clothing. Then I studied her face. It wasn't Kikyo, but it might as well have been.

"Who are you?"...

I had often remembered this sequence when I was following Kagome's trail. It had been the first time I had ever seen her, and thought for sure that Kikyo had stayed to watch over me. I had never given Kagome a chance at first because of the animosity I felt towards Kiyko; maybe that was why I always compared her to her.

Finally Kagome's smell was growing stronger. I smelt another's though, something much smaller, but also familiar. Shippo. He had followed us after all. I should have known he would, I was only grateful that Sango and Miroku weren't awake; otherwise I would have to deal with them as well.

As I walked deeper and the smell grew stronger, I spotted a strange tree. It seemed to have been struck by lightning, but it wasn't charcoaled as it should have been. It merely leaned toward one side, almost as if something magical was holding it up. Then I spotted Kagome on the tree. Shippo was sitting on her lap, so I ducked behind one of the trees near the one they were on, and attempted to hear their conversation.

"Why would you do that Shippo?"

"I just thought that he might tell you something important. But I was horribly wrong." So Shippo had followed us after all. Little bastard, and now he was going to make things even worse. I had tried to make things right, but I was a fool who tripped over my own words.

"Did I go off on him too hard?"

"Just a little, but I'm not saying he didn't deserve part of it." Ok...maybe Shippo wouldn't do as much damage as I thought. He must have known I wanted to say those things, but he was right, I deserved everything Kagome had said to me.

"If it'll make you feel any better I will eventually apologize to InuYasha." My heart stopped. She was going to forgive me? Even after everything I had done? Kagome was an even more amazing person than I had given her credit for. I knew she was special, but no human had ever shown me this kind of forgiveness. "I just can't deal with all of this right now. I need to think."

"Does that mean your going back to your time?" I wouldn't have been surprised if she had. That had seemed to be her reaction quite often. Go to a place that only here and I could go to, waiting until I would come back to get her. Why did it take so long for me to understand all this? Was I really this thick-headed?

"No I'm not going back to my own time. Maybe you should get back to camp Shippo."

"Don't make me leave you Kagome. I promise I'll be quiet, just let me stay." Kagome obviously couldn't bear to hurt him, because she simply nodded at him and gave him one of her tender smiles. I hadn't seen one in so long, and it was just as amazing as I remembered it. I only wish that it was me she was smiling at. They seemed to lie there for hours. Shippo was fast asleep before I decided to attempt to talk to Kagome. As I finally stepped out from behind the tree, I noticed her head nodding, as though she was about to fall asleep as well.

"InuYasha? He came for me?" She whispered these words just loud enough for me to hear, and the shock in her voice almost caused me to recoil. I paused momentarily, and then the hairs on the back of my neck pricked up. I heard a soft rush of air go right by me, and then saw a dart protruding from Kagome's neck. I withdrew Tetsaiga from its scabbard on instinct. It had become second nature for me now to immediately jump into a battle, but I was pissed now. Not only was whoever had done this trying to get Kagome, they were also messing up the little courage I had built up to talk to her.

"Show yourself!" As if everywhere and nowhere at once a strong booming voice spoke to me.

"To a pathetic half-breed such as yourself? Don't make me laugh InuYasha. There is no point in me even telling you my name."

A man wrapped in a cloak suddenly appeared before me. He kept himself covered in a cloak darker than night, but I could see his face. He had fangs, and a long pointy nose. The most predominant thing I could see on him though was his eyes. They seemed to leap out at me. They glowed an eerie yellow, but at the same time gave of a hint of red deep within them. He seemed to stare deep into my soul, opening me up like a book, reading every last weakness, every last fear, hate, anything he could use to his advantage. I loosened my grip on Tetsaiga, and he smiled. Before I could do anything, he had appeared before me, and slammed a fist into my stomach. I buckled to my knees from the pain, gasping for air.

"As I said, a waste of my time. Now if you don't mind, I'll be taking the girl." He took three steps toward Kagome before I was on him.

"Who the Hell do you think you are? Stay away from her! Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

I attempted to slash him, but he disappeared from under my grasp. He was behind me now. I felt his foot land in the small of my back, once more knocking me to my knees.

"Why does everyone always think they stand a chance? I allowed you to live, but I don't think you deserve that honor anymore." I felt a set of teeth rip into my shoulder, and claws follow quickly thereafter into my back. Spitting up blood, I managed to say one thing.

"Big mistake." I thrust Tetsaiga up and straight into his stomach, feeling the momentary stop before it ripped into his flesh. He pulled back from me, both hands covering the hole in his stomach.

"You filthy vermin!" He stood up, the hole starting to shrink, and aimed his hand at me. His fingers separated into a V, and suddenly a burst of blue flame shot out form his hand.

"AAH!" I felt the searing heat of the flame, but knew it would not penetrate me too deeply, the Robe of the Fire Rat would see to that at least. I fell flat onto my face, not able to move right away. I heard his footsteps walking over to me, and once I felt he was close enough, I lashed out, driving my own claws into his foot. This time he didn't even flinch.

"You pathetic fool...Haven't you learned yet? You can't win!" HE reached down and put my hand in to a death grip, I let out a yelp of pain, and this only made him squeeze harder. He raised me up so that I was looking once more into those eyes of his. They were cold and unforgiving, but at the same time seemed to set my soul on fire. "Since you put up a decent enough fight, you deserve to live, and I'll reveal to you my name. I am Merok, Lord Vampire of Averis Castle. If you survive from your wounds, come find me...that is if you still wish to see this girl alive. You have seven days child." He raised his hand not holding me, and shoved it through my stomach, I stared into his eyes and saw the glee that he got from it, and then I felt my own vision begin to blur.

Merok released me, and then walked over to Kagome. The last thing I remember was seeing him grab her in his arms and then vanish. Once more I had lost her tonight, and this time it had not been my fault. I would find his castle I vowed, and then things went black.

Note: Far longer than I intended it to be, but it all just seemed to come out. Hope you like it, and continue to keep checking back.